Lane County Board of Commissioners

Lane County legislators are hoping the federal government moves forward with extending timber payments. The U.S. House is voting this week on a two-year extension of the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self-Determination Act. The extension isn't a long term solution to the County's budget problems. Lane County Commissioner Sid Leiken thinks county and city municipalities should work together to develop a consistent economic develop message.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to put the proposed vehicle registration fee on the May ballot.

Lane County voters will decide in May if they want to pay a vehicle registration fee to fund road and bridge maintenance in the county. If passed, residents would pay $35 per vehicle per year. Motorcycles would cost $20 annually. At a public hearing and meeting Tuesday, Kats Henry of Noti spoke against the fee.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners voted 4 to 1 Tuesday to move forward with a local tax on recreational marijuana. The tax would be conditional on Oregon voters approving Measure 91, which would legalize recreational pot. Commissioner Pete Sorenson was the only no vote. The board had been considering taxing medical marijuana as well but decided not to do so.

The board will hold public hearing on the proposed ordinance at its regular meeting next Tuesday.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners heard 2 hours of public testimony Tuesday, much of it opposing a lifting a moratorium on spraying herbicides on county roads. The board will form a task force to look at the issue.

Lane County Commissioners adopted the no spray policy in 2008.Mary Gabriel is a doctor at Peacehealth. She urged the board not to go back to roadside spraying.

Jay Bozievich and Faye Stewart were not defeated by opponents in the May Primary. They were elected to another 4-year term on the Lane County Board of Commissioners, according to final election results released Friday.

Bozievich beat Dawn Lesley by 75 votes in the West Lane race, so there won't be a run-off in November.

Stewart won the East Lane race over four opponents, avoiding a runoff against top challenger Kevin Matthews by just seven votes.

The Lane County Board of Commissioners has suspended large events at Emerald Meadows beginning in 2015. Last summer, neighbors surrounding the park near Mt. Pisgah complained about noise and trash from the Kaleidoscope Music Festival. A task force of neighbors and promoters agreed to mitigation for this summer’s events, but they could not settle on policies for subsequent years.Tuesday’s vote cancels previously contracted events in 2015, including the Dirty Dash and Faerieworlds.

Ten year incumbent Faye Stewart is being challenged for his seat on the Lane County Board of Commissioners. Joann Ernst, Kevin Matthews and Jose Ortal are running against Stewart for the East Lane County District 5 position. A fifth candidate, Jack Schoolcraft, is "refraining from any further public comment" during the race.

Friday at noon, the four active candidates participated in a live forum. KLCC News Director Tripp Sommer moderated the event. Questions were submitted in advance by listeners and candidates gave timed responses to a variety of issues.